Pages

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Facade (Games #2) by Nyrae Dawn

Can love save them?

After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she’s never been—and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.

To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies’ man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his façade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.

Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together—or tear them apart forever?

REVIEW:Nyrae Dawn, I love your games! This series. This book. AHHH! I loved it. I fell in love with Adrian in Charade, but I had no idea. No idea! I knew he was a bad boy with something dark bothering him, but I repeat… I had no idea. This book was way deeper than I thought it was going to be. These characters had my heart.

”Trying to play hardball, are you? If you want to play doctor with me, you’re going to have to come home with me to do it.”

Adrian was such a natural charmer. As much as he pushed people away and as much as he thought he was playing the jerk card, he was just irresistible. His love interest in this book is Delaney or Laney. The story is told in alternate POV’s, so you get a peek into each of the main character’s heads. It’s made very clear early on that Adrian and Delaney are tied together in a very depressing way. Adrian has no idea and Laney has good intentions, but it was screaming disaster from the very beginning. Secrets are not good! I literally couldn’t pull my eyes from the story. I read into the night, I read in my 8 am class this morning, I snuck a peak at work, and I finished as soon as I got home! I don’t know what it is about this series, but it’s definitely up my alley. I love a good bad boy with charm. These books are witty, sexy (but not too sexy), and emotional. They pull at all my favorite feels and keep me completely and hopelessly hooked the whole time.

Laney fights her ghosts throughout the entire book. Adrian tries to run from the guilt that’s been festering inside him for so long. He drowns it out the only way he knows how: women and weed. In the midst of their war with themselves and their pasts, they fall for each other and it was so sweet and addicting. Laney is an innocent girl that has taken the brunt of problems that were out of her control. Adrian is carrying the burden of guilt that’s not really his to carry. One of my favorite Laney quotes is… “It’s hard giving out love to people of shove it back in your face. That’s not what love’s supposed to be about.” It’s nice to see her finally realize that she deserves the good kind of love. It was even better to see Adrian accept the fact that he is deserving of accepting the love that others have been trying to send his way for so long.

The book takes a surprising twist at the end. I thought I had it all figured out and it just knocked. the. breath. out. of. me. I held back my tears, but they were there. I think I was holding my breath for so long that I forgot to cry. The ending was perfect. Really beautiful and good for my soul.

I can’t get you out of me. Your smile’s in my head and your voice is in my ear.”

This is book 2 in the Games series. Technically, I think you could read Façade as a standalone, but I don’t recommend skipping Charade. Why? Well because it’s good!! Adrian is in Charade and he plays a minor role. I think it gives you a good introduction to him and the kind of life he’s living. Like I said, you can definitely read it as a standalone and be ok, but I think you’d be better off if you read Charade first. This is really good series, and I’m so excited to read Masquerade after getting that sneak peek at the end of Façade! If I could dive into it now, I would. That should tell you how much I loved this.